After greater than 25 years of tense exchanges, following the French intervention in Rwanda in the course of the genocide of the Tutsis in that nation, relations between the 2 international locations have warmed up significantly in recent times underneath the French Presidency Emmanuel Macron. Rwandan President Paul Kagames visited Paris this week for the summit on the African financial system and welcomed this normalization of relations between the 2 international locations throughout an unique interview with RFI and France 24.
The core of this rapprochement between France and Rwanda,The Duclert Report; compiled by historians and delivered to the French head of state two months in the past. He concludes that Paris bears “heavy and overwhelming accountability” within the occasions that led to the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 and which, in line with the UN, claimed 800,000 lives with out being “concerned” within the genocide.
For the president Paul Kagame visits Paris “It’s a giant step ahead that the information, the reality, could be established by two commissions, one French and one Rwandan, and that for the primary time there’s convergence.”
“For France and Rwanda, there’s now a likelihood, a foundation for constructing a great relationship,” he mentioned, “because it must have been earlier than.” “The remainder,” he provides, “we are able to let it final … possibly not overlook, however sorry to maneuver on.”
France just isn’t a prison
The Duclert Reportdidn’t discover France’s involvement within the genocide. Requested about this subject, President Kagame replied: “There are nonetheless issues to do to maneuver ahead, however an important factor has been lined”, “that France’s heavy and overwhelming accountability has been acknowledged … It is enormous, it means lots,” mentioned President Kagame.
“I can agree with the conclusions of this report, which excludes France’s’ participation ‘. Earlier than I add:’ It just isn’t for me to inform them what they need to have put of their conclusions’, ‘these are two unbiased commissions of inquiry (French and Rwandan) “, though” I actually have the proper to have my very own opinion, as a result of I lived after these occasions. “
Apologies from France?
Does Rwanda anticipate an apology from Paris for its position within the genocide throughout President Emmanuel Macron’s go to to Kigali on Could 27?
The Rwandan president believes that “it’s a choice that is dependent upon France and what it considers to be in its curiosity. However I won’t ever apologize to anybody,” he added.
Arrest of genocide
The President of Rwanda greeted arrest a yr in the past in Paris by Félicien Kaguba, the “financier” of the genocide.
“It is a great begin,” he says. Extra might have been executed, he regrets “a sure variety of suspected genocides dwell in France”, “their circumstances have been not correctly handled.”
Would he need France to extradite Agatha Habyarimana, the spouse of former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, who died within the assault on her airplane on April 6, 1994? And who has lived in France since 1994.
“Sure, she is at the highest of the record,” the Rwandan president replied, “however France should determine what to do,” he added.
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